Automobiles and other motorized vehicles typically have numerous valves associated with them. These valves may range in application from fuel systems to cooling systems to braking systems, just to name a few. Historically, these valves have been intrusive in nature, meaning that the valving mechanism or gate directly interacts with the material, typically fluid, that it is trying to control the flow of. These prior art valves therefore have inherent problems, as the valving mechanism is more susceptible to increased wear and corrosion due to direct contact with the flow material. Additionally, these prior art valves are typically located within the flow path of a system, and therefore disrupt the flow, even in an open position. Also, mechanical valves typically have the valve mechanism or gate located within the material flow path, but then have the attached control mechanism for the valve located outside the material flow path, thereby creating a potential path for leakage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,526 to Braddock discloses a glow plug engine that comprises a pinch valve. The control member of the pinching mechanism of this pinch valve may be a cam means pivotally mounted with respect to the valve body and having a surface that is extendible toward and retractable from the conduit section held captive within the valve body. This pinch valve may further include a lever means connected to one end of the cam means, and connected to its free end to a servomechanism of a radio controlled model airplane. However, since this valve contemplates being manually controlled through the use of a servomechanism, it would not be feasible for automotive applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,469 to Bell discloses a solenoid operated valve. This valve has diametrically opposed solenoids, each having an armature plunger that is movable towards and away from a flexible tube, that when extended laterally, can close off the tube passage. The solenoids create an automatic-type valve system, however the requirement for two solenoids makes for a complicated valve system. This complication may cause increased manufacturing costs, increased maintenance/repair costs, or possibly a greater likelihood of malfunction as failure of either solenoid might lead to insufficient valve operation.